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Atlantic Council

RAFIK HARIRI CENTER


FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

Partner Operations in Syria


Lessons Learned and the Way Forward

Aaron Stein

A Report of the Atlantic Councils Sudan Task Force


by Ambassador Mary Carlin Yates
with Kelsey Lilley
Partner Operations in Syria
Lessons Learned and the Way Forward

Aaron Stein

ISBN: 978-1-61977-405-6.

Cover photo: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters stand in line during a
funeral of SDF fighters killed by Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham militants in Raqqa, at Tal Abiad, Syria June
23, 2017.

This report is written and published in accordance with the Atlantic Council Policy on Intellectual
Independence. The authors are solely responsible for its analysis and recommendations. The Atlantic
Council and its donors do not determine, nor do they necessarily endorse or advocate for, any of this
reports conclusions.

July 2017
Partner Operations in Syria

CONTENTS

Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................2

Syria: Special Operations Forces and the Task at Hand...............................................................4

How We Got Here: Tensions with Turkey about Strategy ...........................................................6

Train and Equip: Seeking to Close the Pocket with Arab Forces.............................................9

Russian Counter-Escalation: Manbij and the Turkish Plan for Raqqa.....................................15

Turkish Counter-Escalation: Forecasting Ankaras Response ...................................................17

Matching Actions and Objectives: Lessons Learned from Militia Building in Syria..........19

Conclusion: The Next Steps and the Forthcoming Challenges.................................................22

About the Author............................................................................................................................................24

Acknowledgments..........................................................................................................................................24

ATLANTIC COUNCIL
Partner Operations in Syria

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I
n October 2015, then President Barack Obama The Syrian civil war is complex and US forces were
announced that he had sent dozens of special tasked with fighting ISIS, without overthrowing
operations forces to Syria to begin preparations the Syrian regime. These dynamics challenged
to take back territory from the Islamic State the doctrinal definition of unconventional
of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).1 The decision came warfare, resulting in the term Train and Equip.
nearly two years after Central Command asked The focus on ISIS, in turn, impacted the type
Special Operations Command Central for options of local forces that the United States could
to conduct an unconventional warfare campaign in then partner with to achieve the objective of
Syria to help secure suspected chemical weapons defeating ISIS.
sites and address growing instability.2 The United
States is now committed to using the by, with, The authorities for military action were drafted
and through approach to defeat ISIS. To do so, independent of the formulation of the militarys
the special operations forces have partnered with operational concept, and without a clear
local forces to take territory back from the terrorist understanding of the forces that were viable
group. The results of the military campaign have candidates for American training.
been impressive. The assault on the groups last The result was an overly ambitious set of
major urban stronghold, Raqqa, began in late May objectives for the Arab-majority force trained in
2017, and US partner forces are certain to take the Turkey, based on a concept of operations that
city in due time. may not have been feasible.
The US experience with its local allies has differed The US success with the Syrian Democratic
across Syria. This report details two efforts to achieve Forces stems from the role played by the
US objectiveswith elements trained in Turkey, as Peoples Protection Units. This Kurdish-majority
part of the Train and Equip program, and through militia is well-trained, has a cohesive command
the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the dominant structure, and has out of the box capabilities.
local force in northeastern Syria. The Train and Equip
program failed to meet its objectives, while the SDF The Kurdish-majority forces, however, are linked
has been a tactical success. The military successes, to a US-designated terror group, currently
however, have created broader political problems involved in an insurgency in neighboring Turkey,
with Turkey, a US treaty ally, and a key external a NATO ally.
actor in northern Syria. The different outcomes
make these two programs worth studying in depth. The tactical necessity of partnering with the
This report is based on a series of interviews with SDF to fight ISIS has undermined relations with
US officials and provides lessons learned for US Turkey, and thus impacted broader aspects of
policy makers. US foreign policy.

1 Helene Cooper and David Sanger, Obama Sends Special Operations Forces to Help Fight ISIS in Syria, New York Times, October
30, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/31/world/obama-will-send-forces-to-syria-to-help-fight-the-islamic-state.html.
2 Mark Grdovic, Perspectives on the Syrian Train and Equip Campaign, paper distributed to the author, June 2017.

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Partner Operations in Syria

INTRODUCTION

I
n eastern Syria, US special operations forces for political autonomy since 1984. Turkey views
(SOF) are providing advice and assistance to a US support for the YPG as a national security
local, indigenous partner ground combat force. threat, fearing that lessons learned by the YPG in
Syrian militiamen compose the ground combat Syria will aid the PKKs operations in Turkey. The
component of an American-led international YPG, meanwhile, is essential to the US militarys
coalition seeking to eliminate the presence in approach of working with local actors to achieve
Syria of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham objectives, because it has emerged as the most
(ISIS): the terrorist organizational offspring of al- capable force in the fight against ISIS. The Donald
Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). The American military has Trump administrations May 2017 decision to
refused to describe the campaign against ISIS as further strengthen that partnership and directly
unconventional warfare, which involves operations arm the YPG is, therefore, operationally defensible
and activities . . . conducted to enable a resistance but fraught with political difficulties.
movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or
overthrow a government or occupying power The relationship between the US-led anti-ISIS
by operating through or with an underground, coalition and the YPG began to take root when
auxiliary, and guerrilla force in a denied area.3 ISIS, ISIS sought, in September 2014, to take the Syrian
in this context, may be considered an occupying Kurdish town of Kobani, on the Turkish border.
power, but the US military has not been directed American aircraft operated effectively against ISIS
to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. in conjunction with YPG fighters on the ground. The
The result has thus been a Turkey-based Train and siege of Kobani was broken and ISISs casualties
Equip (T&P) program, intended to conduct a more were significant. An operational relationship was
narrowly focused counterterrorism mission, aimed born. The midwife was tactical necessity. Larger
solely at ISIS. issues of national security objectives, overall
strategy for Syria, and an important bilateral
relationship with a NATO partner were made
The complexities of internal subordinate to the singular focus on attacking ISIS.

conflict in Syria have . . . The Trump administrations decision to accept


and seal a 2014 tactical arrangement came after
greatly complicated the years of debate about how to balance Turkish
interests against a self-imposed timeline to launch
military mission simultaneous assaults on Mosul and Raqqa,4
of defeating ISIS. . . a debate often portrayed as a straightforward
choice between a NATO ally and a local militia.
Debate within the US government about the US-
The complexities of internal conflict in Syria YPG partnership and accommodation for the
have, however, greatly complicated the military referendum on changes to the Turkish constitution
mission of defeating ISIS, and the composition of delayed the assault on the Syrian city of Raqqa,
the ground combat component in this battle has the ISIS capital in Syria. Moreover, the operation
produced a significant and potentially dangerous was slowed by concerns that a Kurdish-majority
policy split with an important NATO ally: Turkey. force would exacerbate ethnic tensions in eastern
US-Turkish tensions stem from the United States Syria and allow ISIS to retain a foothold in the
anti-ISIS partnership with the Syrian Kurdish- population even after it is driven out.5 These ethnic
majority Peoples Protection Units (YPG). The YPG sensitivities prompted calls for the United States
is linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an to build a Sunni Arabmajority local force, culled
insurgent organization that has fought in Turkey from displaced Raqqawis or tribal elements from

3 3 U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Unconventional Warfare, Joint Publication 3-05.1 (Washington, DC: U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff,
September 15, 2015), http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/new_pubs/jp3_05.pdf.
4 Andrew Exum, Donald Trump Wants to Defeat the Islamic StateSo Hes Arming the Kurds, The Atlantic, May 9, 2017, https://
www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/05/turkey-kurds-trump/525984/.
5 Kyle W. Orton, The Error of Arming the Syrian Kurds, New York Times, June 6, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/
opinion/syria-kurds-isis-raqqa.html.

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Partner Operations in Syria

Map 1. Control zones in Syria as of late June 2017

Qamishli
Kobani

Aleppo

Raqqa

Deir-Ezzor

Homs

Palmyra

Damascus

Controlled by the Syrian Armed Forces

Controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces

Controlled by ISIS

Controlled by the Syrian Opposition forces

Daraa Controlled by Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

Map credit: Ermanarich/Wikimedia.

eastern Syria, to retake Raqqa.6 In turn, the United has been a tactical success in eastern Syria, but US
States sought to create Arab-majority elements, efforts to build forces from scratch in other parts
grafted onto the YPG, to enhance the effectiveness of the country have been unimpressive, without
of post-conflict local governance and to ameliorate the benefit of the YPG to serve as a backbone.
Turkeys concerns. Lessons from these two experiences could inform
US policy makers about the difficulties of marrying
This report seeks to illuminate how and why in Syria political objectives with military operations, and the
a tactical military decision arrived at in late 2014 bureaucratic challenges that result from overlapping
seems not to have been fully vetted in a broader efforts carried out by different elements of the same
foreign policy context. No doubt the military command.
doctrine being applied on the ground against ISIS
represents, in large measure, the wave of the future The political challenges with Turkey serve as a
for American military intervention abroad. Two case study for the problems US forces may face
programs in particular will be examined: US efforts in future asymmetric conflict environments, where
east of the Euphrates River to graft Arab fighters uniformed advisors are tasked with enabling local
onto the YPG, and the T&E program to create Arab- groups in an environment rife with broader political
majority units to fight ISIS in northern Aleppo. The contradictions. Policy makers must understand
raising of Arab militias to fight alongside the YPG the tactics that the US military has adopted for

6 For one such example of this approach, see Jennifer Cafarella, Kimberly Kagan, and Frederick Kagan, U.S. Grand Strategy:
Destroying ISIS and al Qaeda, The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP), March 14, 2017,
http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/ISW-CTP%20Recommended%20Course%20of%20Action%20in%20
Syria%20and%20Iraq%20March%202017_1.pdf.

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fighting counterinsurgent campaigns, particularly open Incirlik Air Force Base and the genesis of the
its employment of precision airpower with limited Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US-backed
special operations forces on the ground. ground force currently fighting to take control of
Raqqa from ISIS. The third section discusses the
The tactics can produce positive results: they can bureaucratic efforts to create an Arab-majority
minimize the American footprint and American force to take territory west of the Euphrates River,
casualties. They must not, however, dictate national and the operational and geopolitical challenges
security strategy and broader foreign policy with the Train and Equip program. The fourth
considerations. They appear to have done so in section documents the Russian efforts to challenge
Syria. Clearly there is a need to define the role of US and Turkish actions in northern Aleppo Province,
special operations7 forces in low-intensity combat, first around Azaz and then near Manbij, and the
and to understand how a small number of US forces implications for US policy. The fifth section discusses
paired with a relatively low-risk air campaign may four potential Turkish reactions to the US decision
impact broader US foreign policy goals and produce to deepen its relationship with the SDF, through
unanticipated, unintended consequences. the provision of weapons to the YPG. The findings
This report is divided into five analytical sections, section provides lessons learned from the two case
a findings section, and a conclusion. The first studies discussed in the aforementioned sections,
section details the mission assigned to the special before concluding with some of the broad lessons
operations forces in Syria and the congressional learned and potential challenges in future conflicts.
authorities governing the campaign to train and
equip elements of the Syrian opposition. The
second describes the negotiations with Turkey to

7 This issue has grown more acute in recent deployments; other elements of the SOF community are now working side by
side with partner forces, when they are actually trained, equipped, and task organized to conduct unilateral operationsnot
combined operations. Author Interview, US Military Official, Washington, DC, May 27, 2017.

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Partner Operations in Syria

SYRIA: SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES


AND THE TASK AT HAND

A
t the outset of the October 2015 Resolve (CJTF-OIR), and Title 50 forces under
deployment,8 the small contingent of direction of the CIA.14
US special operations forces in Syria
were tasked with identifying local Bureaucratic considerations are central to
forces to fight ISIS, while simultaneously pursuing understanding the direction of the Barack Obama
counterinsurgent, counterterror, and hostage rescue administrations Syria policy, and the approach
activities. From the outset of the deployment, that the Donald Trump administration inherited.
the campaign focused on counterterrorism9 and, The authorities for US military action in Syria are
through the adoption of the term Train and Equip, contained in the National Defense Authorization
ruled out regime change as a goal of US military Act, fiscal year 2015, Section 1209, which gives
action.10 This military campaign is separate from the authority to provide assistance to the vetted
a covert US program under the control of the Syrian opposition.15 The Obama administration first
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that is designed proposed funds from Congress in June 2014, as part
to provide lethal assistance to Arab-majority of its fiscal year 2015 defense authorization bill,16
opposition groups present in the western part of after which the congressional debate narrowed the
the country.11 scope of the program to explicitly focus on ISIS
(rather than the Assad regime, albeit with language
The distinction between the Department of Defense that allowed the opposition to defend itself, with US
(DoD) and CIA programs is related to a broader assistance, from unspecified adversaries).17
legal debate over Title 10 and Title 50 of the US
Code. In general, Title 10 enumerates the legally US-Turkish negotiations to open Incirlik Air Base in
defined role of each military branch and DoD.12 southern Turkey to host aircraft and personnel to
Title 50, in contrast, is typically associated with conduct anti-ISIS air strikes took place concurrent
covert activities linked to the CIA, but also has to the authorization and funding processes. As
some provisions for the DoDs own intelligence- such, the debate about these authorities is deeply
gathering operations.13 In Syria, Title 10 forces were intertwined with the negotiations over this base.
placed under the direction of what would become Then Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Ankara
the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent in November 2014 for discussions with then Foreign

8 The planning for this began in 2013, after Central Command tasked Special Operations Command Central to come up with
options to address growing instability in Syria. Author Interview, Former Military Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
9 According to President Obama, using another name for ISIS, the objective is: [To] degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through
a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy. See: Statement by the President on ISIL, Office of the Press
Secretary, The White House, September 10, 2014, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/10/statement-
president-isil-1; President Trump articulated the objective, saying, It is the policy of the United States that ISIS be defeated. See:
Presidential Memorandum Plan to Defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Office of the Press Secretary, The White House,
January 28, 2017, https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/28/plan-defeat-islamic-state-iraq.
10 According to a US military official, describing the current effort in Syria: There are definitely aspects of UW in Syria in that we
are attempting to coerce, disrupt, and overthrow an occupying power (ISIS). It is, however, not done in a traditional UW manner.
The effort is heavily focused on the guerrilla/kinetic aspect but does not address the larger concern of the population. Author
Interview, US Military Official, Washington, DC, May 2017.
11 Erika Solomon, The Rise and Fall of a US-Backed Rebel Commander in Syria, Financial Times, February 9, 2017, https://www.
ft.com/content/791ad3bc-ecfc-11e6-930f-061b01e23655/.
12 According to Joseph B. Berger, Military operations are DoD activities conducted under Title 10, including activities intended or
likely to involve kinetic action. Pursuant to an order issued by the Secretary of Defense, they are conducted by military personnel
under DoD command and in accordance with the law of war. Joseph B. Berger III, Covert Action: Title 10, Title 50, and the Chain
of Command, Joint Forces Quarterly, No. 57, 4th Quarter, October 2012, http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jfq/jfq-67.pdf, 34.
13 Ibid., 33-34.
14 All military elements supporting the Train and Equip program are under Department of Defense control, and therefore are
Title10 forces.
15 See: H.R.3979 - Carl Levin and Howard P. Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, https://www.
congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/3979/text.
16 Ibid.
17 For more background, see Cristopher M. Blanchard and Amy Belasco, Train and Equip Program for Syria: Authorities, Funding,
and Issues for Congress, Congressional Research Service, June 9, 2015, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R43727.pdf.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 5
Partner Operations in Syria

Fighters of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) of the Syrian Democratic Forces on the bank of the Euphrates
east of the city of Raqqa in northern Syria. Photo credit: Voice of America.

Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Undersecretary at the in December 2014, Congress approved the Obama
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Feridun Sinirlioglu, and administrations $500 million funding request
then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a joint for the program. The authorities spelled out in
effort to clear ISIS from the border.18 Section 1209 required that the assistance be used
for defending the Syrian people from attacks by
The discussions were bogged down over Turkeys ISIS, and that the vetted opposition have no ties to
demand that coalition aircraft protect Aleppo terrorist organizations, such as those linked to al-
from regime bombing19 and enforce a no-fly zone Qaeda, or Shia militias with ties to Iran.22
over all of northern Syria, which the United States
steadfastly refused to commit to.20 The two sides
did reach an agreement to train up to two thousand
opposition fighters at camps inside of Turkey,21 and

18 Author Interview, Former US Government Official, Washington, DC, February 2017.


19 Ibid.
20 Colin Kahl, who previously served as the deputy assistant to the president to President Obama and national security advisor to
the vice president, explained the Obama administrations approach on Twitter. See Colin Kahl, I wanted to specifically respond
to Charless point that Erdogan wanted a no-fly zone in 2014-2015 to help anti-ISIS fight. See below. 2/2, Twitter, May 14, 2017,
https://twitter.com/ColinKahl/status/863743513267236864.
21 Adam Entous, U.S., Turkey Narrow Differences on Islamic State Fight, Wall Street Journal, December 1, 2014, https://www.wsj.
com/articles/u-s-turkey-move-closer-in-talks-involving-bases-air-zones-1417414812.
22 Public Law 113-291, Carl Levin and Howard P. Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, passed on
December 19, 2014, https://www.congress.gov/113/plaws/publ291/PLAW-113publ291.pdf.

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HOW WE GOT HERE:


TENSIONS WITH TURKEY ABOUT STRATEGY

I
n June 2014, ISIS overwhelmed Iraqi security the Turkish-Syrian border by capturing Kobani, a
forces in Mosul and took the city with ease.23 The Kurdish-majority border town. The ensuing battle
dramatic victory prompted President Obama to has had a profound impact on US strategy in Syria.27
direct US Central Command (CENTCOM) to begin
military operations against ISIS.24 The campaigns ISIS began to besiege the town of Kobani in early
rapid start posed early problems for US Army September 2014, compelling the YPG units to
Central, and imposed troop caps slowed the early advise remaining civilians to flee to Turkey.28 Anti-
efforts to fully staff the Joint Task Force in charge ISIS coalition strikes began on September 27, but
of the campaign.25 The air and group campaigns the United States and Turkey had not yet reached an
initially focused on Iraq, with ground forces focused agreement to open air bases in Turkey. The Turkish
on rebuilding the Iraqi security forces. government did allow for unmanned reconnaissance
flights from Incirlik Air Force Base, where the United
Attention expanded to Syria, however, as ISIS began States had previously deployed four MQ-1B Predator
to move some of the equipment it had seized from drones in 201129 to enhance Turkish targeting of
the Iraqi security forces back into Syria to sustain the PKK with US imagery assistance.30 As part of
its war effort in both countries.26 ISIS sought to use the broader discussions over Incirlik, Ankara had
this equipment to consolidate its position along changed the rules of engagement governing the

23 The fall of Mosul may provide an unintended lesson learned for future operations in Iraq. The finding falls outside the scope
of this paper, but is still worth mentioning. US conventional forces, along with National Guard and Reserve units, trained Iraqs
conventional force up until 2011. In Mosul, these units collapsed, despite having a 3-4:1 manpower advantage over ISIS. US Special
Forces, in contrast, trained the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), a force that has performed well and is now spearheading
the Iraqi fight against ISIS. However, in the battle to retake Mosul, CTS combat power suffered 40 percent battle losses. As
the US begins to appropriate funds to rebuild CTSand continues with efforts to retrain elements of the regular Iraqi Army
(ISF)the US would be wise to incorporate elements of the Special Forces-CTS approach into the regular ISF training program.
Army Special Forces are training Iraqi CTS units, while the 82nd Airbornes Third Brigade is leading the ISF training. Author
Interview, US Special Forces Soldier, Washington, DC, May 2017; See also Justification for fiscal year 2018, Overseas Contingency
Operations (OCO), Counter Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Train and Equip Fund (CTEF), Office of the Secretary of Defense,
May 2017, http://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2018/fy2018_CTEF_J-Book_Final_Embargoed.pdf.
24 In as early as 2013, CENTCOM tasked Special Operations Command to begin proposing a course of action to conduct
unconventional warfare, focused on developing indigenous forces to seize chemical storage sites of concern and to provide
border security. Author Interview, Former US Military Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
25 ARCENT Transition to Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve: Lessons and Best Practices, The Center for Army
Lessons Learned, Initial Impressions Report, No. 16-10, March 2016, http://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/publications/16-10.pdf.
26 The proliferation of small arms and light weapons will continue to be an issue in post-ISIS Iraq. As the group reverts to a more
prototypical insurgency, the ability to procure weapons from Syria and Iraq will help sustain the expected insurgency. See:
CJ Chivers, Facebook Groups Act as Weapons Bazaars for Militias, New York Times, April 6, 2016, https://www.nytimes.
com/2016/04/07/world/middleeast/facebook-weapons-syria-libya-iraq.html?_r=0; Islamic State Weapons in Kobane: Analysis
of Weapons and Ammunition Captured from Islamic State Forces in Kobane, Small Arms Survey, April 2015, http://www.
conflictarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Islamic_State_Weapons_in_Kobane.pdf.
27 As Special Forces, we dont make resistance forces, but we really find good potential and then harness them. Author Interview,
Former Military Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
28 According to a BBC timeline of the Kobani battle, in just four days, the [United Nations] says over 130,000 people have fled
across the border into Turkey as IS[IS] forces advance through the countryside and surround Kobane. See Battle for Kobane:
Key events, BBC News, June 25, 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29688108.
29 Craig Whitlock, U.S. Military Drone Surveillance Is Expanding to Hot Spots beyond Declared Combat Zones, Washington
Post, July 20, 2013, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-military-drone-surveillance-is-expanding-
to-hot-spots-beyond-declared-combat-zones/2013/07/20/0a57fbda-ef1c-11e2-8163-2c7021381a75_story.html?utm_term=.
b34287a40884.
30 According to Craig Whitlock, Previously undisclosed diplomatic cables show Turkey has become highly dependent on the
Predators, U-2 spy aircraft and other U.S. intelligence sources in its conflict with the PKK. The Kurdish group, which is fighting to
create an autonomous enclave in Turkey, has launched cross-border attacks from its hideouts in northern Iraq for years. Turkey
has responded with airstrikes and artillery attacks but has also sent ground troops into Iraq, further destabilizing an already
volatile area. See: Craig Whitlock, U.S. Considering Ankaras Request to Base Predators in Turkey to Fight a Kurdish Group in
northern Iraq, Washington Post, September 10, 2011, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-considering-
ankaras-request-to-base-predators-in-turkey-to-fight-a-kurdish-group-in-northern-iraq/2011/09/09/gIQA5R1fIK_story.html?utm_
term=.b3827d47032d.

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use of these drones to facilitate missions over Syria In early June 2015, a Turkish ISIS member detonated
in 2014. However, at that point in the war, the United a crude explosive at a Kurdish political rally in
States and the coalition were flying strike aircraft Diyarbakir, Turkey, killing four people. On July 20,
from bases in Gulf countries.31 a man from the same Turkish ISIS cell detonated a
suicide vest at a gathering of leftists in Suruc, the
To coordinate air strikes against ISIS in Kobani, the Turkish town opposite of Syrias Kobani, killing
US military trained YPG elements to spot targets thirty-three.37 In response, the Kurdistan Workers
by using a Samsung tablet and Google Maps.32 Party killed two Turkish police officers. Tensions
The YPG sent the coordinates to US forces, who between the Turkish government and the PKK grew
then tasked aircraft to conduct strikes against ISIS for months, as many of Turkeys Kurds presumed the
positions.33 This arrangement helped turn the tide ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) helped
of the battle, largely because the YPG showed ISIS in its battles against the YPG in Syria.38 The PKKs
considerable determination in fighting ISIS. The retaliation prompted a heavy-handed response,
US-YPG partnership, which strengthened parallel triggering the resumption of the insurgency and
to the difficult negotiations with Turkey, presented intense fighting in Turkeys southeast, which led to
an alternative arrangement for the United States to the destruction of numerous urban areas and the
fight ISIS.34 displacement of four hundred thousand people39
According to multiple US government officials, the from the region in the summer of 2016.40
real change in Turkish policy vis--vis the United This series of interrelated events, which
States, ISIS, and the status of the Incirlik base demonstrated how elements of the Syrian conflict
came months later, when the YPG closed in on Tel spilled over the border into Turkey, prompted
Abyad,35 a Syrian border town that had served as a Ankara to place a greater emphasis on combatting
key smuggling route for ISISs foreign fighters, and ISIS.41 Up until this point in the war, the government
supplies to sustain the caliphate.36 Tel Abyad fell to had treated ISIS as a symptom of the broader Syrian
the YPG in mid-June 2015. The implications of the conflict, and thus prioritized the fight against the
YPGs rapid advance were profound: The United Assad regime to undercut the appeal of ISIS in
States and YPG had demonstrated that they had eastern Syria. This change in Turkish policy led to
the strength to close the border without Turkish increased efforts to crack down on ISIS, beginning
participation, an approach that would inadvertently with several arrests in March 2015 and a considerable
result in a contiguous YPG-dominated entity on increase in raids throughout Turkey in June.42 The
Turkeys longest land border. Turkish government also took further steps to close
the border, which until this point in the war had
been largely left open, allowing for large numbers

31 Craig Whitlock, U.S. Relies on Persian Gulf Bases for Airstrikes in Iraq, Washington Post, August 26, 2014, https://www.
washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-relies-on-persian-gulf-bases-for-airstrikes-in-iraq/2014/08/25/517dcde0-2c7a-
11e4-9b98-848790384093_story.html?utm_term=.b739060def74.
32 According to a US official, In Afghanistan, the calling in of airstrikes helped to establish instant rapport between USSOF
and the Northern Alliance that normally takes longer to build in traditional UW models. It also helps to establish the tactics,
techniques, and procedures. Author Interview, US Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
33 Rukmini Callimachi, Inside Syria: Kurds Roll Back ISIS, but Alliances Are Strained, New York Times, August 10, 2015, https://
www.nytimes.com/2015/08/10/world/middleeast/syria-turkey-islamic-state-kurdish-militia-ypg.html?_r=0.
34 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, January 2017.
35 Kurdish Forces Seize Border Town of Tal Abyad, Cutting Off Key ISIS Supply Line, Guardian, June 16, 2015, https://www.
theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/16/kurdish-fighters-cut-key-supply-line-to-islamic-state-capital-raqqa.
36 Brian Dodwell, Daniel Milton, and Don Rassler, The Caliphates Global Work Force: An Inside Look at the Islamic States Foreign
Fighter Paper Trail, Combatting Terrorism Center at West Point, April 19, 2016, https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-caliphates-
global-workforce-an-inside-look-at-the-islamic-states-foreign-fighter-paper-trail; Conflict Armament Research, Tracing the
Supply of Components Used in Islamic State IEDs, February 2016, http://www.conflictarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/
Tracing_The_Supply_of_Components_Used_in_Islamic_State_IEDs.pdf.
37 Aaron Stein, Islamic State Networks in Turkey, Atlantic Council, October 3, 2016, http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/publications/
issue-briefs/islamic-state-networks-in-turkey.
38 Noah Blaser, Trench Warfare in Turkey, Foreign Policy, January 29, 2015, http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/29/trench-warfare-in-
turkey-kurds-pkk/.
39 Guneydogudaki operasyonlar yuzunden 355 bin kisi go etti, T24, February 28, 2016, http://t24.com.tr/haber/guneydogudaki-
operasyonlar-yuzunden-355-bin-kisi-goc-etti,329927.
40 Aaron Stein, Kurdish Militants and Turkeys new Urban Insurgency, War on the Rocks, March 23, 2016, https://warontherocks.
com/2016/03/kurdish-militants-and-turkeys-new-urban-insurgency/.
41 Aaron Stein, Turkeys Two-Front War, The American Interest, February 4, 2016, https://www.the-american-interest.
com/2016/02/04/turkeys-two-front-war/.
42 According to open source data collected by researcher Noah Blaser and a blogger who writes under the name North Caucasus
Caucus, the number of ISIS arrests in Turkey increased in June 2015. The number of raids per month has remained consistent
ever since, suggesting ongoing law enforcement efforts to roll up the groups Turkey-based networks.

8 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
Partner Operations in Syria

of foreign fighters to transit Turkey to Syria and for


ISIS to procure items from Turkey to support its
This series of interrelated
operations.43 events, which demonstrated
For the United States, the change in Turkish policy how elements of the Syrian
helped finalize the deal for Incirlik Air Base. The first
US strike from Incirlik in early August 2015, with conflict spilled over the
an armed MQ-1B, was in support of YPG-affiliated
forces. The strike was meant to send a message to
border into Turkey, prompted
Turkey that support for the YPG east of the river Ankara to place a greater
would continue amid negotiations for a joint solution
to the ISIS problem west of the Euphrates.44 emphasis on combatting
In October 2015, US special operations forces ISIS.
deployed to northeastern Syria sought, among other
things, to establish an Arab-majority militia grafted operations forces, as the SAC provided a legal
onto the YPG for anti-ISIS operations east of the entity for the United States to provide weaponry
Euphrates in preparation for the eventual assault on and support to the opposition per the Section 1209
Raqqa. In conjunction with the specialized USSOF authorities vetting standards.45 Despite Turkish
deployment, the YPG announced it had merged statements prohibiting YPG presence west of the
with a slew of Arab-majority Free Syrian Army river and amid continued US-Turkish consultations
(FSA) units collectively dubbed the Syrian Arab about how best to close the Manbij pocket, a strip
Coalition (SAC). The YPG-SAC merger formed the of territory along the border spanning from Azaz to
nucleus for what would become Syrian Democratic the Euphrates River, the SDF appeared at the outset
Forces. The emergence of this umbrella organization focused on operations west of the Euphrates.46
appears linked to the deployment of the US special

43 Dodwell, Milton, and Rassler, The Caliphates Global Work Force: An Inside Look at the Islamic States Foreign Fighter Paper
Trail; Conflict Armament Research, Tracing the Supply of Components Used in Islamic State IEDs.
44 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, February 2016.
45 Author Interview, Former US Government Official, Washington, DC, March 2017.
46 The SDF did have western areas such as Manbij as a priority but this was balanced with other priorities such as securing the Tishreen
Dam and Ash Shaddadi. Author Interview, Person familiar with CJSOTF-S operations in Turkey, Washington, DC, June 2017.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 9
Partner Operations in Syria

TRAIN AND EQUIP: SEEKING TO CLOSE


THE POCKET WITH ARAB FORCES

T
he United States Turkey-based Train and and constraints on their missions. YPG members
Equip program stems from this same were generally motivated to fight well beyond
debate: How do you cut ISIS off from the their villages and home countries of origin largely
border without a Turkish ground force or a because the group is, at its core, an ethno-nationalist,
militia that would violate Turkeys stated red line? political movement fighting for political autonomy.51
The T&E program fell under the Combined Joint The Arab-majority forces, in contrast, fought for
Special Operations Task Force-Syria (CJSOTF- various reasons, ranging from the formation of a
S)47 in support of CJTF-OIR, and had to navigate new government (divided by competing visions of
host-country sensitivities.48 For example, Ankaras how that government should be structured) to cash
preferred approach was to directly arm groups in payments, resulting in limitations to their motivation.
the Manbij pocket with minimal training, according Moreover, as an ethnically homogenous force with
to Turkish officials;49 but this proposal apparently an internal intelligence and command and control
ran afoul of the legal authorities to train and equip structure, the YPG could effectively screen out ISIS-
the vetted opposition. Under CJSOTF-S, the T&E or al-Qaeda-linked sympathizers.52 The various Arab
program appears to have had a reporting line that groups did not have these capabilities, making the
made it susceptible to micromanagement from the vetting process more challenging and the threat of
National Security Council and CENTCOM. ISIS infiltration more acute.

The authorities to train Arab and Turkmen forces The CJSOTF-S and USSOF organization were,
in Turkey are the same as those that govern the however, unequally prepared to manage
provision of weapons and training to the SAC, and characteristics of the forces they were training. The
the funding comes from the same $500 million YPG were, according to multiple interviews, ready
allocation. All authorities for special operations to go right out of the box as a capable force to
forces are overt, although many can be clandestine fight ISIS,53 whereas the Arab-majority groups (both
if units are placed under Title 50 authorities. As with SAC and in T&E) were less capable of fighting
such, the SDF program, headed up by a specialized ISIS outside of their home villages, and therefore
USSOF organization (sometimes referred to as the not ideally suited to help the United States achieve
Task Force) composed of Syria-based black special its objectives. While the USSOF organization and
forces, had more autonomy to conduct missions.50 CJSOTF-S experienced similar challenges with
Absent clear guidance from the commander in chief, the Arab-majority forces, the former operated in-
the specialized USSOF organization could dictate country and the resulting rapport made it more able
policy outcomes, based on their own preferences, to address these challenges.54
in ways that its CJSOTF cousin could not.
The limits of the Section 1209 authorities impacted
the Train and Equip program more significantly than
Organizational Challenges for the the SDF program given the structure of the former.
T&E Program The authorities required that partner forces pledge
The T&E and SDF programs faced challenges to fight ISIS, rather than only fighting the Syrian
inherent to the composition of their partner forces regime, which further undercut efforts to establish

47 The S in CJSOTF-S denotes the location as Syria, as compared with different Combined Joint Special Operations Task Forces in
other parts of the world.
48 See Organization, Operation Inherent Resolve, http://www.inherentresolve.mil/About-Us/Organization/.
49 Author Interview, Turkish Official, Ankara, March 2015.
50 Email Interview, US Military Official, February 2017.
51 International Crisis Group, Flight of Icarus? The PYDs Precarious Rise in Syria, Report No. 151, May 8, 2014, https://www.
crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/eastern-mediterranean/syria/flight-icarus-pyd-s-precarious-rise-syria.
52 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, January 2017.
53 Email interview, US Military Official, February 2017.
54 CJSOTFS, not initially based in-country and using Skype or other tools to connect with commanders in Syria, struggled to build
rapport with militia leaders, further limiting the effectiveness of the initial training efforts. See Ibid.

10 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
Partner Operations in Syria

Syrian Democratic Forces fighters carry their weapons as they stand in Raqqas western neighborhood of
Jazra, Syria in June 2017. Photo credit: Reuters/Rodi Said.

rapport with the Arab-majority forces being trained.55 for getting to centralized training sites in Turkey
The United States supplied recruits with American for the twelve-week training program,57 a duration
weapons, rather than the more ubiquitous Russian that meant attendees had to be inessential to the
origin designs, which required recruits to travel to ongoing fight in Syria.58
the Turkish border for resupply. The fighters, as
such, saw the weapons as a means to compel them The focus on ISIS undercut these groups support
to acquiesce to American demands, rather than as from the broader anti-Assad insurgency and made
a tool to aid in their fight. This perception undercut them a target of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat
morale and efforts to build rapport.56 Further still, al-Nusra. The presence of al-Qaeda and Ahrar al-
the T&E program at its outset focused on recruiting Sham,59 a rival Salafi group that, in certain cities
individuals rather than leaders from established and towns shares governance responsibilities with
groups in the area. The recruits were responsible Nusra,60 within the broader Syrian insurgency

55 The inability to align US goals with those of a local ground force is a serious problem for any Train and Equip strategy. To
increase the likelihood of success, goals must first be aligned and the US trainers willing to tolerate the partner force doing
certain things that the US does not like for the sake of achieving the primary mission. Author Interview, US Official, Washington,
DC, May 2017.
56 Author Interview, Former Military Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
57 Ibid.
58 Ibid.
59 Sam Heller, a Beirut-based analyst, described Ahrar as the vanguard of a revisionist school that is contesting the nature of the
jihadist movement, albeit one that remains more politically and philosophically embedded inside pan-Islamist jihadism. Heller
concluded that Ahrar al-Sham will not be the malleable new Awakening for which U.S. policymakers are forever hoping to act
as a counterweight to al-Qaeda in Syria. See Sam Heller, Ahrar al Shams Revisionist Jihadism, War on the Rocks, September 30,
2015, https://warontherocks.com/2015/09/ahrar-al-shams-revisionist-jihadism/.
60 In July 2016, Nusra rebranded as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham; then, in January 2017, it changed its name to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
See Charles Lister, Al Qaeda Is Starting to Swallow the Syrian Opposition, Foreign Policy, March 15, 2017, http://foreignpolicy.
com/2017/03/15/al-qaeda-is-swallowing-the-syrian-opposition/.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 11
Partner Operations in Syria

deprived the T&E program of a potential recruiting its focus.67 Despite the programs overall failure, the
pool.61 US-trained fighters, in at least one instance, had
successfully relayed Nusra positions to the coalition
The Arab-majority forces that made up the SDF, in operations center,68 which then tasked aircraft to hit
contrast, had always focused their efforts on ISIS as the targets69a notable tactical success.70
their principal enemy, and the YPG had maintained
a pragmatic relationship with the Syrian regime Following the mission change, the CJSOTF-S forces
with the aim of realizing its primary goal: defeating remained in Turkey but instead coordinated with
ISIS in northeastern Syria to consolidate political and trained individuals to join existing opposition
and military control over an autonomous area. This groups. CJSOTF-Ss continued presence and direct
was not an accident. The YPGs recruitment efforts dialogue with elements of the Turkish-backed
focused on Arab tribes and families that were not opposition remain valuable to US policy makers
committed to regime change.62 The SDFs sole for situational awareness of events west of the
focus on ISIS may have made the United States Euphrates River, and to assist with intelligence
more willing to provide the group air support,63 and collection for target identification. Despite these
the strikes, in turn, further enhanced rapport.64 The benefits, the program, overall, failed to achieve its
role of airpower, however, is a double-edged sword. ambitious goals.
The number of US strikes is viewed as a metric of
support for opposition groups. Thus, groups on the Geopolitical Challenges for the T&E
ground demanded greater air support (even when Program
not necessary, or when the aircraft were tasked for The multi-faceted nature of the Syrian civil conflict
a different set of targets) before attacking ISIS- impacted the programs development. As the T&E
related targets.65 program was taking shape, Russia deepened its
Graduated elements of the T&E program were involvement in the Syrian civil conflict. The Russian
intended to push from strongholds north of Aleppo, military deployed aircraft to Khmeimim Air Base
spanning from Azaz to Marea (collectively dubbed in Latakia Province in September 2015 to initiate
the Marea line), to close the Manbij pocket. Jabhat al- an air campaign in support of the Syrian regime.71
Nusra attacked the first batches of trained fighters, Two months later, in late November, a Russia SU-
causing one group to hand weapons over to Nusra 24 bombed Turkmen Mountain in northern Syria,
forces.66 The political controversy over the handoff a Turkmen rebel stronghold that has a profound
of American weapons to an al-Qaeda affiliate domestic political resonance for right-of-center
undercut the already tepid support for the program Turkish political parties.72 The Turkish Air Force
and prompted the Obama administration to change downing of the Russian jet prompted Russia to

61 These two groups are specifically listed as unauthorized in the Section 1209 authorities, and Title 10 forces are barred from
working with them, or giving assistance to groups that work closely with them.
62 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
63 Paul D. Shinkman, U.S. Bombing Legions of ISIS Fighters, US News and World Report, October 17, 2014, https://www.usnews.
com/news/articles/2014/10/17/us-general-us-targeting-isis-leaders-legions-of-forces-in-kobani.
64 Author Interview, US Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
65 Author Interview, Former Military Official, Washington, DC, June 2017; See also Mike Benitez and Mike Pietrucha, Political
Airpower, Part II: The Seductive Allure of Precision Weapons, War on the Rocks, November 30, 2016, https://warontherocks.
com/2016/11/political-airpower-part-ii-the-seductive-allure-of-precision-weapons/. The SDF, for example, often will not begin
battles until US air strikes begin. In certain instances, the United States uses expensive precision-guided munitions to hit dirt road
intersections to prevent vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attacks. The same is true in Iraq, where US munitions
strike targets in support of advancing troops without the threat of VBIED actually materializing. This raises the costs of US action
and has caused controversy with the elements of the US military responsible for overseeing air strike requests (Author Interview,
US Military Official, Washington, DC, July 2017).
66 U.S.-Trained Syrian Rebels Gave Equipment to Nusra: U.S. Military, Reuters, September 26, 2015, http://www.reuters.com/article/
us-mideast-crisis-usa-equipment-idUSKCN0RP2HO20150926.
67 Michael D. Schear, Helene Cooper, and Eric Schmitt, Obama Administration Ends Effort to Train Syrians to Combat ISIS, New York
Times, October 9, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/world/middleeast/pentagon-program-islamic-state-syria.html.
68 Roy Gutman, What Really Happened to the U.S. Train-and-Equip Program in Syria? McClatchy, December 21, 2015, http://www.
mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article50919765.html.
69 For an overview of how these strikes are conducted, see Michael Zenko, The U.S. Air Campaign in Syria Is Suspiciously
Impressive at Not Killing Civilians, Foreign Policy, November 25, 2015, http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/25/the-u-s-air-campaign-
in-syria-is-suspiciously-impressive-at-not-killing-civilians/; See also the AR-15 report on civilian casualties, November 2, 2016,
http://www.centcom.mil/portals/6/media/redacted_final_xsum_memorandum__29_nov_16___clear.pdf.
70 Email Interview, US Official, June 2016.
71 Syria Group: Russia Expanding Major Syrian Airport, Military Times, September 13, 2015, http://www.militarytimes.com/story/
military/2015/09/13/syria-group-russia-expanding-major-syrian-airport/72209558/.
72 Sam Heller and S.G. Grimaldi, A Cause for All Turks: Turkey and Syrias Turkmen Rebels, War on the Rocks, January 21, 2016,
https://warontherocks.com/2016/01/a-cause-for-all-turks-turkey-and-syrias-turkmen-rebels/.

12 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
Partner Operations in Syria

expand its bombing campaign to include Turkish- SDF pushed north from the Tishreen Dam to encircle
backed opposition supply lines to Aleppo, which ran and siege the city. The fight slowly proceeded in
through the back-basing areas for the T&E fighters. urban terrain before the city fell in mid-August.79
Following this incident, Turkey also stopped flying Despite methodical execution, the SDF reportedly
strike and surveillance missions over the Marea lost some 300 fighters, with another 1,200 injured
line, which had been augmenting artillery along the in the urban battle.80 Nonetheless, the fall of the
border in support of T&E-trained elements.73 town provided the group with the means to move
on al-Bab, a goal that the SDF articulated when it
Russia also gave direct support to the Efrin-based announced the creation of a council to govern the
YPG74 as part of its strategy to punish Turkey and town in mid-August.81
break the back of the Aleppo-based insurgency.
After nearly two months of heavy Russian
bombardment along the Marea line, the regime
Turkey Reacts: Train and Equip Is
cut Azaz from Aleppo, severing Turkeys overland
Repurposed for Turkish Needs
route to the city. Shortly thereafter, in mid-February, The problems associated with the T&E program,
Russian airpower facilitated the Efrin YPGs taking combined with the overly ambitious mission
of Menagh Air Force Base from Turkish-backed of closing the Manbij pocket, may have set the
rebels.75 One week later, the YPG and Russia worked program up for failure. However, the cadres of US-
together to take Tel Rifaat. trained personnel proved useful for Turkey during
Operation Euphrates Shield, the cross-border
The Russian bombing of the Marea line ended in military operation Turkey launched on August 24,
late February after having a devastating impact 2016. The impetus for Euphrates Shield was twofold:
on the T&E forces and the broader Turkish-backed To clear ISIS from the Manbij pocket, and to prevent
insurgency. The loss of these cities and the SDF the SDF from moving west from Manbij towards
capture of Tel Abyad changed Turkeys calculus Efrin.
and sharpened its focus on ISIS.76 Meanwhile,
the United States continued to use T&E forces in After the fall of Manbij, Turkish artillery stationed
attempts to close the Manbij pocket. Despite the along the border began to target SDF positions
US commitment of up to 50 percent of strike and north of the city.82 The shelling was in preparation
ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) for a Turkish military-led invasion, backed by various
sorties to the Marea line77 and Turkish shelling of ISIS rebel groups based in Turkey or transferred from
positions along the border, the groups struggled to Idlib. Two of the more effective brigades, Mutasim
take sparsely populated towns with minimal ISIS and Hamza, were part of the US training program,
presence. Moreover, the fractured groups could not and were outfitted with equipment paid for with T&E
hold the towns they had taken, retreating en masse funds. Turkey sought to keep the invasion secret
against ISIS counterattacks. from the United States, but US intelligence caught
wind of the cross-border operation up to two weeks
The poor performance prompted a shift in American before it took place, according to two sources
tactics favoring the use of the SDF, in direct violation interviewed for this report.83 To facilitate the cross-
of Ankaras stated red line about the composition of border move, Ankara first had to secure Russian
forces operating west of the Euphrates.78 The SDFs permission. The two countries relationship had
April 2016 announcement of its creation of the improved significantly since the Turkish downing of
Manbij Military Council (MMC) foreshadowed the the Russian SU-24 the previous November and the
forthcoming late May offensive, during which the subsequent Russian counter-escalation in Syria.

73 Abdulkadir Selvi, Suriye ile savaa m giriyoruz?, Yeni Safak, June 30, 2015, http://www.yenisafak.com/yazarlar/abdulkadirselvi/
suriye-ile-savaa-m-giriyoruz-2014751; Author Interview, US Government Official, February 2017.
74 These Kurdish fighters are part of the same YPG that the US gives support to, but this cadre is not geographically connected to
YPG territory west of the Euphrates.
75 Suleiman al Khalidi, Kurdish Forces Said to Take Air Base near Turkish Border, Reuters, February 11, 2016, http://www.reuters.
com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idUSKCN0VK0E8.
76 Author Interview, US Government Official, February 2017.
77 Author Interview, US Military Official, Washington, DC, November 2016.
78 Turkey Says West of Euphrates Red Line in Northern Syria, TRT World, July 1, 2015, http://www.trtworld.com/turkey/turkey-
says-west-euphrates-red-line-northern-syria-3972.
79 Chase Winter, Syrian Kurds Look West after Manbij Victory, Deutsche Welle (DW), August 14, 2016, http://www.dw.com/en/
syrian-kurds-look-west-after-manbij-victory/a-19473564.
80 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, April 2017.
81 Jiyar Gol, IS Conflict: Syrias Kurds Set Sights on al-Bab after Fall of Manbij, BBC News, August 16, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/
news/world-middle-east-37093856.
82 Turkish artillery, since at least January 2016, has also shelled YPG positions west of Azaz and, at times, SDF positions in Manbij.
83 Author Interview, US Government Official, August 2016; Author Interview, Former US Government Official, February 2017.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 13
Partner Operations in Syria

Demonstrators in Istanbul shout slogans against the ruling AK Party as they hold banners during protests
against the July 2015 bomb attack in Suruc. Photo credit: Reuters/Umit Bektas.

Turkish officials traveled to Moscow on August 9, With ties to Mutasim and Hamza, CJSTOF-S could
probably to brief Russia on the proposed invasion monitor the operations progressan unintended
plan. Ten days later, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut but necessary benefit from the US training effort
Cavusoglu traveled to Tehran for discussions, most because the Turkish government restricted its
likely to brief officials on Euphrates Shield. According communication with the United States.84 It is
to this timeline, the United States was the last to unclear when the United States learned that Turkey
be told. Still, as the invasion began on the morning intended to push towards al-Bab, a town some
of August 24, CENTCOM Commander Joseph forty kilometers south of al-Rai. President Erdogan
Votel tasked Turkey-based aircraft to support the clarified the intent of the operation after it began,
invasion, though US forces were not permitted to telling the Turkish press that the Turkish military
cross the border. This changed on September 17, would push towards al-Bab, and then on to SDF-
when some forty special forces operators crossed held Manbij.85
into Turkish-held territory near al-Rai, establishing
a presence inside Syria. The US deployment came Amid the expanded scope of the operation, the
amid US-Turkish talks, reportedly about the scope various Arab forces fighting alongside Turkish
and intent of Operation Euphrates Shield. troops showed a considerable lack of skill and
discipline. Meanwhile, the Turkish fighting force did
not have enough manpower to manage the multiple

84 Ibid.
85 Erdogan: Menbici PYDden temizleyecegiz, BBC Turkce, October 26, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-
turkiye-37773388.

14 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
Partner Operations in Syria

front lines and was ill-prepared for the assault of striking ISIS supply lines south of the city, but these
al-Bab. Turkish forces reached the outskirts of the strikes were not in direct support of Turkish or allied
citys northern entrance in mid-November, before Turkish forces on the ground. To be sure, the United
beginning to advance on the western outskirts of States was irritated with Turkey for its cross-border
the town in an attempt to take Sheikh Akil hill, the military action, and therefore sought to use air
high ground west of the city. In the subsequent strikes to coerce changes in Turkish policy. However,
battle that began in mid-December, the Turkish as the fight continued, the argument within the US
armored units supporting special operations forces government shifted towards a win-for-win strategy,
and a smattering of FSA groups demonstrated wherein the United States would give Turkey more
poor combined arms tactics, attempting to push support in exchange for greater concessions on the
into towns with armored elements with little to no forthcoming offensive for Raqqa. The United States,
support from infantry units.86 In total, Turkey lost therefore, did move to offer greater assistance with
at least eight Leopard 2A4 tanks, one Sabra M60T targeting and intelligence collection.90 Ankara was
tank, two Otokar Kobra vehicles, and two armed wary of accepting the offer, demanding restrictions
personnel carriers in an ISIS counterattack.87 on US flight operations over al-Bab, which would
require the United States to conduct strikes without
Concurrent to an ISIS counterattack at Sheik Akil hill, getting eyes on target.91
the Turkish forces launched an offensive to retake
Qabasin, a small town nine kilometers north of al- The Turkish military gained control of remaining
Bab. The assault was successful, prompting Ankara key outlying villages in late February 2017, signaling
to increase the number of forces in the conflict to readiness for the assault of al-Bab. While Turkey
retake al-Bab. Turkey also moved artillery into Syria had trouble taking and holding the city, the regime,
and increased its daily bombardment of the city to with Russian support, advanced its forces south of
the extent that two coalition members expressed al-Bab. Ankara, in turn, exaggerated the support
a general concern about war crimes taking place, Russian fixed wing aircraft provided in the area92
with tactics that resembled the Russian assault on to put pressure on the United States, first to signal
Grozny in 1999.88 that Ankara had other partners, and second to
hasten CJTF-OIR support for the battle for al-
In the latter stages of Turkeys military intervention, Bab.93 Despite Turkish-backed troops ultimately
the political leadership in Ankara directed its ire at succeeding in taking al-Bab, the results of this
the coalition for not providing adequate support approach were decidedly mixed: Russian support
for Turkish and allied ground forces.89 The coalition targeted ISIS, but it also facilitated the movement of
had previously deployed special forces to Turkish- regime forces in cutting off any conceivable Turkish
controlled territory, but authorized these soldiers route to Raqqaa goal President Erdogan often
to move only some twenty kilometers deep into articulated.94
Syria. From the outset, coalition aircraft had been

86 Author Interviews, Multiple US Army Tank Drivers, Washington, DC, September 2016-May 2017.
87 For a more detailed assessment, see Christiaan Triebert, The Battle for Al-Bab: Verifying Euphrates Shield Vehicle Losses,
Bellingcat, February 12, 2017, https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/02/12/battle-al-bab-verifying-turkish-military-vehicle-
losses/.
88 Author Interview, Non-US Member of the Anti-ISIS Coalition, Washington, DC, January 2017; Author Interview, US Government
Official, Washington, DC, February 2017.
89 President Recep Tayyip Erdogans spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, told a news conference in December 2016, The international
coalition must carry out its duties regarding aerial support to the battle we are fighting in al-Bab. Not giving the necessary
support is unacceptable. Turkish criticism noticeably increased as the fight was bogged down around al-Bab in December 2016.
See Turkey Asks U.S.-Led Coalition for Air Support at Syrias al-Bab, Reuters, December 26, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/
article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-airforce-idUSKBN14F0KE.
90 Michael R. Gordon, Top U.S. General Discusses Syria with Counterparts from Russia and Turkey, New York Times, March 7, 2017,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/world/middleeast/russia-turkey-syria-deconfliction.html?_r=0.
91 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, March 2017.
92 Russian and Turkish Jets Bomb ISIL in Syrias Al Bab, Yahoo News, January 18, 2017, https://uk.news.yahoo.com/russian-
turkish-jets-bomb-isil-syrias-al-bab-170727283.html.
93 According to a US official, You cant just turn on close air support for a partner force at the flip of a switch. That [close air
support] has to know the exact front-line trace of the unit theyre supporting, or else theyre likely going to end up striking
friendly targets by accident. Theyd need to be able to communicate with the aircraft, which you would do by coordinating the
communications ahead of time, making sure they can talk to the aircraft, making sure you had people on the ground who knew
what they were doing. Author Interview, US Official, Washington, DC, June 2017; The Russian Air Force, on February 9, 2017,
mistakenly bombed Turkish positions near al-Bab, killing three. Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Daren Butler, Russian Bombing in Syria
Mistakenly Kills Three Turkish Soldiers, Reuters, February 9, 2017, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-albab-
idUSKBN15O100.
94 Cumhurbaskani Erdogan: El Babtan sonra Rakkaya girecegiz, Star, October 27, 2016, http://www.star.com.tr/politika/
cumhurbaskani-erdogan-el-babtan-sonra-rakkaya-girecegiz-haber-1153155/.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 15
Partner Operations in Syria

RUSSIAN COUNTER-ESCALATION: MANBIJ


AND THE TURKISH PLAN FOR RAQQA

A
period of uncertainty for the Turkish Erdogan at a meeting in Moscow on March 10. The
military in Syria followed the fall of al-Bab. day after the two presidents met, all clashes in the
To support combat operations, the Turkish area stopped.100 Later that month, Turkish Prime
military has built a large base near Dabiq, Minister Binali Yildirim confirmed that the operation
as well as a series of small forward-operating bases had ended, but held out that the Turkish military
near the front lines with the regime east of al-Bab.95 could expand its operation under a new code
In addition, Turkey operates a training base near name.101
Soylu for individuals to join the brigades supporting
Euphrates Shield or to serve as police officers in The end of Operation Euphrates Shield shifted the
Turkish-controlled territory.96 The units were also debate to Raqqa and the complicated political
intended to spearhead the operation to take Manbij. efforts to construct a force to take and hold the city
from ISIS. The United States made clear in its initial
After the consolidation of the front lines around deployment of special operations forces in October
al-Bab, militia forces allied with Turkey began to 2015 that part of the effort was to prepare local
clash with the SDF west of Manbij, which Turkish forces to assault Raqqa. In this sense, the SDF proved
artillery supported, although it is unclear if Turkish to be a military success. Through the recruitment
officers based in Syria were involved in planning the of local Arab forces, the once YPG-dominant force
offensive.97 The clashes continued until mid-March, now has a considerable composition of Arab forces,
when, according to multiple American officials, likely outnumbering any comparable force in the
Russia intervened at a trilateral summit with the area or elsewhere. The numbers, however, belie the
United States and Turkey in Antalya to demand an importance of YPG networks to sustain combat
end to Turkish military clashes around Manbij.98 This operations. CJSOTF-S members who trained Arab
demand coincided with Russia brokering a deal elements of the SDF note that the same problems
with the SDF in Manbij to move regime forces and that plagued T&E are also present with the Arab
a handful of Russian advisers into a small ribbon elements of the SDF.
of territory west of the city, effectively creating a
Russian deterrent force to prevent Turkish military The YPG also plays a significant role in identifying
action.99 militias to join the SDF. By assisting US forces in
the vetting process, the YPG can control those that
Moscow had used this tactic previously during join and influence the political direction of the SDF.
clashes between the YPG and Turkish forces near This setup also enables the YPG to exert control
Tel Rifaat, but the action in Manbij was more overt over the councils that are selected to govern ISIS-
and broadcasted more publicly. It also appears that held territories taken by the SDF.102 The YPG has
President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed the Russian also proved more effective at recruiting fighters
position from the Antalya summit to President than other Arab-majority units. As such, the SDF

95 Open source satellite imagery confirms the presence of these bases.


96 The feeder program moves fighters into bigger groups, each based on a different front within Turkish-occupied areas. On the
eastern front, the fighters join the Levant Front. On the southern front with regime-occupied Tedef, they join Faylaq al-Sham. On
the eastern front, the fighters join Sultan Murad, suggesting that they are Turkmen. Author Interview, US Government Official,
Washington, DC, March 2017.
97 A contact who visited the back base for Euphrates Shield just after al-Bab got the sense that the operation had concluded, and
that any expansion of military operations would be carried out under a new operational code name. Author Interview, Turkey-
based source who visited the Turkish officers in charge of Operation Euphrates Shield, March 2017.
98 Author Interviews, US Government Officials, Washington, DC, March 2017.
99 Aaron Stein, How Russia Beat Turkey in Syria, MENASource, Atlantic Council, March 27, 2017, http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/
component/content/article?id=34974:how-russia-beat-turkey-in-syria.
100 Erdogan Meets Putin in Moscow, Deutsche Welle (DW), March 10, 2017, http://www.dw.com/en/erdogan-meets-putin-in-
moscow/av-37892424.
101 Turkey Ends Euphrates Shield Operation in Syria, Al Jazeera, March 29, 2017, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/03/turkey-
ends-euphrates-shield-operation-syria-170329211428970.html.
102 In Manbij, as an example, the Manbij Military Council is predominantly Arab but nonetheless tied to the YPGs civilian wing, the
Democratic Union Party (PYD).

16 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
Partner Operations in Syria

now represents one of the largest local Arab


fighting groups in the country. Moreover, according
The US military determined
to two US government officials, the SAC cannot
fight without YPG logistical support,103 making it
that Turkey would struggle to
unlikely that a SAC-only force could have taken sustain an operation around
Raqqa despite outnumbering ISIS fighters in the
city. SACs inability to fight without the YPG has
Raqqa in the absence of
limited US options for the battle to take Raqqa, and
complicated Turkish efforts to convince the United
considerable US assistance.
States to use elements trained for Euphrates Shield,
grafted onto SAC networks, as an alternative force approximately eighteen thousand, with another
for the battle. twelve thousand to hold the city.109 The Turkish-
backed force reportedly includes three thousand
In late February 2017, US Chairman of the Joint fighters culled from the broader pool of the Turkish-
Chiefs of Staff General Joe Dunford met with his backed opposition in Syria, now being trained to
Turkish counterpart, Fikri Isik, at Incirlik Air Force join the three major factions in control of northern
Base to discuss US plans for Raqqa and hear an Aleppo. The performance of Turkish forces in al-
updated Turkish counter-proposal.104 Dunford Bab is yet another complicating factor. The US
visited a Turkish training camp during this visit but military determined that Turkey would struggle to
was not allowed to meet with any of the recruits, sustain an operation around Raqqa in the absence
reportedly because of their anti-American views.105 of considerable US assistance. The final factor, of
The counter-proposal would use Turkish-backed course, is that the United States would struggle to
elements from the Euphrates Shield operation along create a safe corridor for Turkish forces to move
with a combination of Turkish armored and special from Tel Abyad to Raqqa. This proposed route would
operations forces to move to Raqqa via SDF-held entail the movement of Turkish-backed rebels and
Tel Abyad.106 Shortly thereafter, Turkey updated this soldiers through SDF-held territory, which would
plan to include the Arab elements in the SDF.107 effectively bisect the Kurdish cantons of Kobani and
Jazira and risk Turkish-Kurdish conflict.
This proposal was problematic for the United
States, which knows very little about whom the The United States ultimately chose to go with
Turks are recruiting, preventing proper vetting CENTCOMs preferred approach, resulting in
and assessments of the Turkish-backed forces President Trump issuing a letter to the relevant
size and capabilities.108 According to CENTCOM congressional committees to make legal the direct
estimates, the force needed to take the city is arming of the YPG for the fight in Raqqa.

103 Author Interviews, US Government and Military Officials, Washington, DC, April and March 2017.
104 Top Turkish, US Soldiers Meet at ncirlik to Discuss Anti-terror Fight, Hurriyet Daily News, February 17, 2017,
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/top-turkish-us-soldiers-meet-at-incirlik-to-discuss-anti-terror-fight-.
aspx?pageID=238&nID=109861&NewsCatID=358.
105 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, March 2017.
106 Humeyra Pamuk, Turkey Sets Out Raqqa Operation Plans to U.S.: Report, Reuters, February 18, 2017, http://www.reuters.com/
article/us-mideast-crisis-turkey-syria-idUSKBN15X0C7;
107 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, April 2017.
108 Stringent vetting is required to understand the goals of the local force, lest otherwise risk the US military enabling elements of
an insurgency to pursue its owns goals. Author Interview, US Military Mfficial, Washington, DC, May 2017.
109 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, May 2017.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 17
Partner Operations in Syria

TURKISH COUNTER-ESCALATION:
FORECASTING ANKARAS RESPONSE

T
he Turkish government has made clear its Peshmerga (Roj Pesh), a KRG-based group of Syrian
intention to take cross-border military action Kurds that fled PYD-controlled areas. The Roj Pesh
against the PKK. Concurrently, the Turkish and YBS clashed in Sinjar in early March, sparking
military remains engaged in a low-level conflict between the rival Kurdish blocs.
counterinsurgency in southeastern Turkey against
Turkey-based PKK networks and members.110 Turkey An assault on Sinjar, however, would require the
trained upwards of three thousand militants as part Turkish military to augment its presence in Iraq
of its initial effort for Operation Euphrates Shield, and for the approximately two hundredkilometer
subsequently as the potential force to take Raqqa.111 push from the border. Turkey would likely receive
This cadre of recruits reportedly received training in permission from the KDP, but not from the Iraqi
cross-border assaults, which has led to speculation central government. Such a Turkish move would
that Turkey could use it to spearhead an invasion have three interrelated aims: First, ousting the YBS
of SDF-held Tel Abyad or Kurdish-controlled Tel from Sinjar and installing Roj Pesh and KDP-allied
Rifaat in northern Aleppo. This report is focused on forces; second, controlling the border crossing
potential Turkish actions east of the Euphrates river, with PYD-held Syria, allowing for a near total KDP-
where US forces are present. The United States does Turkish blockade of Syrian-Kurdish territory; third,
not have any presence in Tel Rifaat, and thus has projecting power into Tel Afar and Mosul, both
no real tools to deter a Turkish military operation in of which will be under the control of anti-Turkish
the area. In Tel Abyad, the United States does not forces allied with the Iraqi central government after
have a larger miliary presence to deter cross border ISISs defeat. The Iraqi central government would
Turkish action. However, in response to clashes, US likely see the latter outcome as a threat, given that
Rangers have been sent to do deterrence patrols the Sinjar-Tel Afar highway is critical for controlling
in the city. A Turkish invasion of Tel Abyad would the flow of goods and people into Mosul, giving the
likely divert YPG elements from Raqqa front lines, force in control of these two cities sway over the
impeding SDF and US efforts to take the city. direction of Mosul in a post-ISIS conflict scenario.
To further complicate matters, the bulk of the Iraqi
Alternatively, the Turkish government has also forces fighting near Tel Afar are members of the
suggested that it could invade Iraq to target a PKK- Popular Mobilization Units, or state-sanctioned
trained, Yazidi-majority militia, the Sinjar Resistance militias, some of which have strong ties to Iran.114
Units (YBS).112 The PKK has managed to carve out
a foothold in Sinjar with the YBS after the rise of Turkish F-16s struck PKK-related targets in Iraqs
ISIS and the threat of ISIS-orchestrated genocide. Sinjar and Syrias Karachok on April 25.115 The
The Turkish Armed Forces have a slew of bases in Turkish Air Force gave the United States a fifty-
northern Iraq stemming from agreements reached minute warning,116 and the strikes were conducted
in the 1990s with the Kurdistan Democratic Party outside the coalitions air tasking order, through
(KDP).113 Turkish Special Forces are training KDP- which the coalition air commander controls and
allied Zeravani Peshmerga, which train the Rojava directs air forces in a joint environment. The strikes

110 For an overview of the fighting in Nusaybin, Turkey, see Managing Turkeys PKK Conflict: The Case of Nusaybin, Report No.
243, International Crisis Group, May 2, 2017, https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/western-europemediterranean/
turkey/243-managing-turkeys-pkk-conflict-case-nusaybin.
111 Author Interview, US government official familiar with the Turkish proposal, Washington, DC, April 2017.
112 Alex MacDonald, Sinjar Becomes Proxy Battle amid Rising Kurdish Tensions, Middle East Eye, March 8, 2017, http://www.
middleeasteye.net/news/analysis-sinjar-becomes-proxy-battle-amid-rising-kurdish-tensions-1123337257.
113 Akin Unver, Mosul: Turkeys Fulda Gap, War on the Rocks, December 29, 2015, https://warontherocks.com/2015/12/mosul-
turkeys-fulda-gap/.
114 Michael Eisenstadt and Michael Knights, Mini-Hizballahs, Revolutionary Guards Knock Offs, and the Future of Irans Militant
Proxies in Iraq, War on the Rocks, May 9, 2017, https://warontherocks.com/2017/05/mini-hizballahs-revolutionary-guard-knock-
offs-and-the-future-of-irans-militant-proxies-in-iraq/.
115 Turkish Jets Strike Kurdish Fighters in Syria, Iraqs Sinjar, Reuters, April 25, 2017, http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-crisis-
turkey-iraq-idUKKBN17R0CA.
116 Josie Ensor, US Troops Seen Patrolling Syria-Turkey Border as Washington Tries to Stop Turkish Air Strikes on Kurds, Telegraph,
May 1, 2017, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/01/us-troops-seen-patrolling-syria-turkey-border-washington-tries/.

18 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
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killed some twenty-five fighters, including five A fourth possibility is that Turkey will continue to
Zeravani Peshmerga forces manning the front line follow its current policy of periodically shelling SDF
with the YBS in Sinjar. The incident suggests, as in positions while training Arab and Turkmen fighters
al-Bab, some deficiencies in Turkish targeting. The to enter Euphrates Shield territory. It could then
United States criticized the strikes, and a second threaten to use these elements to invade Tel Abyad
coalition member privately condemned the action as part of a low risk effort to foment ethnic and
as shortsighted and certain to push the YPG to political divisions in SDF-run territory. However,
take retaliatory steps toward cooperation with Turkeys training program appears to have similar
the regime and Russia.117 In Tel Abyad, YPG forces deficiencies to the US experience with Train and
targeted two Turkish tanks with anti-tank guided Equip. The Turkish military is training individuals, at
missiles, fired from the Syrian side of the border. times culled from the Syrian refugee population in-
Thus far, the strikes have been one-offs, though country, to join with larger groups.120 The training
the United States responded with Ranger118 patrols program is slow and weapons are used to compel the
along the border to deter cross-border clashes, groups to follow Turkish directives. This effort has
further deepening the overt US presence with the failed to unify the opposition in Turkish-controlled
YPG along Syrias border with Turkey.119 northern Aleppo, and may have indirectly created
fissures for the regime to exploit by offering higher
The locations of the Turkish air strikes also salaries to fighters who switch sides.
suggest a third potential response: A move into
northeastern Syria and across the Iraqi border. For Turkey, none of these options are risk free. The
The Syrian incursion would be limited, and carried least costly approach is to try and foment internal
out in areas where the KDPs Syria-based affiliate, dissent in SDF-controlled areas. Such an effort could
KDP-S, has local support. Turkish ground forces have potential second-order effects on post-conflict
could then push into Sinjar and gain control over stabilization, or on broader SDF-led governance
key border crossings, allowing Turkey to facilitate efforts in the city.
the movement of Roj Pesh units from Iraq into Syria,
although reliable estimates of the groups strength
are hard to come by.

117 Author Interview, non-US member of the Anti-ISIS Coalition, Washington, DC, May 2017.
118 Meghann Myers, Army Rangers on the Ground in Syria for Liberation Fight, Military Times, March 9, 2017, https://www.
armytimes.com/articles/army-rangers-on-the-ground-in-syria-for-liberation-fight.
119 Shawn Snow, US Forces Patrol Syrian Border amid Clashes between Turkey and Kurdish Militants, The Military Times, April 28,
2017, http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/us-forces-patrol-syrian-border-amid-clashes-between-turkey-and-kurdish-militants.
120 Rao Komar, Turkeys Syria Intervention: No Guarantee of Easy Victory at Al Bab, War on the Rocks, October 24, 2016, https://
warontherocks.com/2016/10/turkeys-syria-intervention-no-guarantee-of-easy-victory-at-al-bab/.

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Partner Operations in Syria

MATCHING ACTIONS AND OBJECTIVES: LESSONS


LEARNED FROM MILITIA BUILDING IN SYRIA

T
he battle for Raqqa began in June 2017, Turkish government is already maneuvering to
after months of deliberationsspanning close international nongovernmental organizations,
two administrationsabout how to manage many of which had operated in Syria for years.123
Turkey. Central to this debate are self- Turkey could also take a step further and shut
imposed restrictions related to the political costs of down American assistance platforms in Turkey
dramatically increasing the number of US forces in (START), or put pressure on the small office in
Syria, and broader US government concerns about Kobani, dubbed START Forward.124 The KDP in
implementing a policy that would require a long- Iraqi Kurdistan, similarly, has antagonistic relations
term commitment to rebuild Syrias institutions. The with the PYD, which frequently closes the border
militarys hesitance to deeply commit itself to post- crossing. These conditions may force planners to fly
conflict operations is understandable. This phase in in reconstruction assistance through US-operated
both Iraq and Afghanistan has bogged down the air bases, which further implies a longer-term
US military in protracted and costly low-intensity military presence in Syria.
counter-insurgency121 and nation-building efforts.
The outcome has been detrimental to readiness The United States is likely to try and manage
and has contributed to life cycle issues for military these conflicting efforts and priorities. The debate
equipment and platforms. is instructive: the military includes post-conflict
operations in its doctrine, but is not trained,
The SDF-centric, by-and-through approach in Syria organized, or equipped to fulfill this mission
is linked to the reluctance to commit US forces to requirement.125 The most probable US policy will be
long-term nation-building missions. Yet, even this an attempt to manage expectations of all parties
limited-involvement approach has generated a involved by aiming to establish a relatively stable
debate regarding the execution of post-conflict northeastern Syria that is politically tolerable to
and stabilization assistance in SDF-held areas policy makers in Ankara.126
in northeastern Syria. The US military would like
the Department of State to take the lead in this The post-conflict debate is broadly analogous to
effort,122 a decision that could further complicate previous debates about arming the YPG directly.
diplomatic relations with Turkey. The SDF is The most obvious lesson learned is that the political
pushing for greater post-conflict reconstruction environment will shape outcomes, despite all
assistance for its nascent governing structure, relevant partner forces sharing the goal of defeating
which would have profound implications for future ISIS.127 US military action in Syria could result in the
governance in northeastern Syria. Meanwhile, the creation of quasi-independent, Kurdish-dominated
governing institutions, anathema to Turkish security

121 Writing in 2001, then Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Votel (now the commander of CENTCOM), described the frustration
with increased deployments, spanning the spectrum of conflict from major theater war to peacekeeping to humanitarian
aid. According to Votel, Increased deployments, especially those outside the realm of theater combat, are a source
of frustration and concern for professional military officers as they affect long-term readiness and question the
basic philosophy and purpose for military forces. See: Lt. Colonel Joseph L. Votel, Strategic Implications for Shared
Constitutional War Powers in the 21st Century, Research Paper, Army War College, April 10, 2001, http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/
oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA389866.
122 The joint doctrinal definition of the stabilization phase assigns responsibility to the Department of State to plan and coordinate
[US government] efforts in stabilization and reconstruction. See Joint Publication 3-0, Joint Operation, Joint Chiefs of Staff,
January 17, 2017, http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/new_pubs/jp3_0.pdf, VIII-25.
123 Some 700 INGOs [international nongovernmental organizations] and foundations have been closed since July 2016, according
to an INGO worker based in Turkey. Ankara also appears intent on funneling all aid delivered to Syria through the Prime Ministrys
Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency or the Islamist Humanitarian Relief Foundation in order to prevent the
distribution of goods in SDF/YPG-held areas; Author Interview, Washington, DC, May 19, 2017.
124 Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt, U.S. Sends Civilian Team to Syria to Help the Displaced Return Home, New York Times,
June 22, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/us/politics/syria-trump-civilian-humanitarians.html.
125 Author Interview, US Military Official, Washington, DC, May 2017.
126 Author Interview, US Government Official, Washington, DC, May 2017.
127 See David A. Broyles and Brody Blankenship, The Role of Special Operations Forces in Global Competition, CNA, April 2017,
https://www.cna.org/cna_files/pdf/DRM-2017-U-015225-1Rev.pdf.

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interests. According to CNA analysts David A. based on a realistic assessment of the capabilities
Broyles and Brody Blankenship, this outcome would of the intended partner force, and curtail policy
be an unintended, desired outcome, wherein options around a clear understanding of the
the military get[s] an outcome that we wanted, proposed partner forces capabilities. Otherwise,
but not how we expected. This outcome matches the United States will set itself up for failure.
[the] objective, but it equates to the right answer
for the wrong reason, and it suggests that we do The difference in outcomes underscores how the
not understand the environment or know how our two programs were unequally effective. The Syrian
actions will play out.128 In Syria, the United States is Arab Coalition, for example, succeeded because it
all but certain to territorially defeat ISIS. The defeat, is grafted onto a coherent, and militarily capable,
however, may also help midwife a political outcome insurgent group, the YPG. The YPG, in turn, is a top
that prompts future Turkish military actionan down organization with a clearly defined leadership
outcome that would bog down an American ally in with which the United States can work and broadly
an asymmetric conflict it would struggle to win, and align its goals (counter ISIS) to achieve objectives.
one that would give ISIS room to move back into The Train and Equip groups, by contrast, operate in
lost territory. Turkey, a NATO ally, could then ask for an even more complicated environment that lacks a
assistance, placing the United States in the position dominant partner force that the United States can
of having to provideor denyaid to a military work with.131 Furthermore, the restrictions placed on
against a group it had recently supported.129 the T&E program exacerbated these key deficiencies.
Most notably, the United States worked with
The T&E program and concurrent efforts to individuals, rather than units, at the outset of the
train Arab elements to join the SDF point to two program. The lack of unity amongst these groups,
interrelated lessons learned. First, it is difficult too, made more difficult the alignment of US goals
to build local forces willing to fight for objectives with the partner forces being trained. Further still,
incongruent with their own ambitions. Second, the United States sought to compel these groups to
the enabling of local forces, capable of achieving adopt an objective (the defeat of ISIS), rather than
narrowly defined military goals, does not necessarily their preferred target (the Assad regime).
mean that they are congruous with broader foreign
policy goals. This is not unique. The partnering with The incongruity in goals points to a fundamental
local forces to achieve the state mission requires problem: The Train and Equip mission tasked the US
the alignment of end-goals. To do so, the United military with conducting elements of unconventional
States has to be prepared to tolerate its preferred warfare with ground forces that were not interested
partner forces doing things that are not perfectly in fighting ISIS without first toppling the Syrian
aligned with US objectives.130 The vetting process, regime. The military, then, hesitated to adopt all
therefore, is extremely important. The United States elements of an unconventional warfare campaign,
must understand the forces it is working with, lest settling on the Train and Equip mission. Further still,
otherwise risk serving as an enabler for political this decision was not rooted in a clear understanding
or military outcomes that are incongruous with of the groups operating in Syria, but instead on an
the mission objectives. The training program, too, assumption about the number of fighters that could
should be built around the needs on the battlefield. theoretically be trained per month.132 The result was
A truncated program for fighters trained in Turkey a faulty assumption about the expected strength of
could have increased the number of recruits. US-trained elements before the program began. The
However, it is unclear whether such a force could congressional authorities, in turn, were developed
have ever been capable of achieving the mission independent of the operational concept. The result
objective: closing the Manbij pocket. This reality was a mismatch of objectives with the theoretical
suggests the need for civilian policy makers and capabilities of the potential ground forces the
military commanders to better align their own goals, United States intended to train.133

128 Ibid., 16.


129 For options to mitigate the possibility of a Turkish-Kurdish confrontation in northern Syria, see Aaron Stein, Reconciling U.S.-
Turkish Interests in Northern Syria, Council on Foreign Relations, February 13, 3017, https://www.cfr.org/report/reconciling-us-
turkish-interests-northern-syria.
130 Author Interview, US Military Official, Washington, DC, May 2017.
131 This conclusion is not anomalous, and is in fact reflected in academic studies on armed national movements. According to Peter
Krause, Hegemonic national movements with one significant group are more likely to be strategically successful. This movement
structure provides incentives for the dominant group to cement its position in the movement hierarchy through strategic gains;
reduces counterproductive violent mechanisms from within and foreign meddling from without; and improves the movements
coherence in strategy, clarity in signaling, and credibility in threats and assurances. Power thus drives both actions and outcomes
in national movements. Peter Krause, The Structure of Success: How the Internal Distribution of Power Drives Armed Group
Behavior and National Movement Effectiveness, International Security, vol. 38, no. 3 (Winter, 2013/2014).
132 Author Interview, Former US Military Official, Washington, DC, June 2017.
133 Ibid.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 21
Partner Operations in Syria

The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford, third left, and Turkeys Chief of Staff Gen.
Hulusi Akar, right, talk during a meeting in Incirlik Airbase in Adana, Turkey, February 17, 2017. Photo credit: AP.

The SDF, in contrast, was a willing and capable to use military force, otherwise risk tactics driving
ground force that shared immediate US objectives, strategy. The congressional authorities should
which led to considerable military successes. not be drafted independent of the operational
However, the YPGs link to the PKK posed legal and concept, lest risk an incongruence of ways and
political challenges, both of which contributed to means to achieve the objective (defeat ISIS). The
the diminished relationship with Turkey. Train and model in Syria is backwards. Reliance on the SDF
Equip was not militarily successful, although it did is a consequence of this approach, as the force is
result in a beneficial outcome for the United States: best suited to achieve the objective articulated: the
The US military now has sustained contact with defeat of ISIS with a small US military footprint.
elements within the Syrian opposition, which should The implementation of this objective necessitates
aid in intelligence collection to plan air strikes134 and, management of the resulting political environment,
ideally, in mediating local disputes with disparate often creating ad-hoc alliance structures, or, in the
elements of allied forces in Syria. case of Turkey, straining ties with a NATO ally.135
The broader lesson that needs to be learned is
Thus, a key lesson learned is that civilian policy that by, with, and through is not cost-free, and may
makers should be well versed in all aspects of the result in unintendedand sometimes negative
operating environment before making the decision consequences for broader US foreign policy goals.136

134 Mike Benitez, Its About Time: The Pressing Need to Evolve the Kill Chain, War on the Rocks, May 17, 2017, https://
warontherocks.com/2017/05/its-about-time-the-pressing-need-to-evolve-the-kill-chain/.
135 A good case study in this regard is the United Kingdom.
136 Ball, From Successful Defense to Problematic Offense: The Devolution of Unconventional Warfare, 2.

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CONCLUSION: THE NEXT STEPS


AND THE FORTHCOMING CHALLENGES

T
he outcome of the battle for Raqqa is not within a shared strategy. The with-and-through
in doubt. The United States has escalation approach has changed the way the United States
dominance over ISIS, with the means to fights limited wars of choice, but the implications of
increase its own involvement in the fight this approach must also be internalized for policy
should the SDF become bogged down. The makers. By, with, and through, for example, does
fundamental antagonism, however, between the US not necessarily mean easy, clean, and efficient or
war effort and Turkey will continue even after Raqqa risk-free for broader US foreign policy.
falls, when the debate about post-conflict stabilization
and reconstruction becomes more acute. The United While civilian policy makers should not dictate
States may find that the fall of Raqqa will not decrease tactics, civilian leaders, wary of involving themselves
its reliance on a controversial partner force or remove in protracted wars, are almost certain to remain
the need for a sustained US presence in the area. enamored with the light footprint approach. This
likely predisposition requires that policy makers
ISIS and its predecessors have operated in the better match actions and objectives. The actions
Euphrates River Valley for over a decade, running are easy to foresee: partner forcebuilding and
clandestine networks to sustain smuggling the application of airpower with small numbers of
networks to and from Iraq.137 To keep pressure on special operations forces. Yet neglect of the political
the group following its territorial defeat, the US implications in identifying partner forces in the
military could soon face a similar decision to that of Syrian cases resulted in one failed program, Train
Manbij or Raqqa: whether to ally with the existing and Equip; and, in the case of the successful effort
partner (the SDF) despite the resulting impact on to build the SDF, the approach escalated tensions
the US-Turkish relationship. This option may be the with Turkey. The political challenges should have
most appropriate for this limited objective. The influenced early decisions about the use of military
SDF has logistics and a backbone force superior force as a critical part of the operating environment,
to any potential alternative in the area.138 The SDF rather than after US operators began the task of
and its security structures could, in theory and with preparing the battlefield for Raqqa in October 2015.
US backing, impose order and prevent the return
of ISIS to areas cleared. The relationship could also The problems discussed herein are not exclusive to
expand to include reconstruction activities, resulting the United States. Indeed, Turkey is experiencing
in a sustainedor more robustUS presence in many of the same problems in its zone of control
northeastern Syria. Pursuit of this objectiveto in northern Aleppo province. However, the United
rebuild conflict-ridden areas containing a YPG States sits at the center of a web of alliances that,
presencehowever, could prompt Turkish reactions collectively, contributes to US power around the
that could undermine the US militarys efforts. world. Policy makers must learn lessons from the
Syrian conflict and recognize the challenges posed
The two programs examined underscore the by the American way of war in wars of choice. A
challenges involved in relying on and building greater emphasis should be placed on identifying and
partner forces, both from a bureaucratic standpoint understanding the policy implications of potential
and in the context of a multi-faceted civil conflict. The partner groups before the use of force is authorized.
persistent challenges in northeastern Syria reinforce This is not to suggest that the United States should
the need for a more thorough understanding of the curtail its battle plan around the potential political
capabilities of potential partner forces in conflict difficulties with an ally (in this case, Turkey). Instead,
areas; an understanding that must take hold before these expected challenges should be weighed
military force is authorized. This task falls on civilian against broader US foreign policy goals to determine
and military leaders responsible for studying policy whether the immediate priority is more important
options for employing military force in insurgency than longer-term goals. If so, the United States may
conflictsand then matching legal authorities with take actions to mitigate expected tensions, rather
tactics the military needs to do the job, working than react to unfolding events.

137 For a history of ISIS focused on the groups bureaucracy, see Patrick B, Johnston et al., Foundations of the Islamic State:
Management, Money, and Terror in Iraq 2005-2010 (Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2016).
138 Author Interview, US Government Official, April 2017.

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 23
Partner Operations in Syria

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Aaron Stein is a resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. His
research interests include US-Turkey relations, Turkish foreign policy, the Syrian conflict, nonproliferation,
and the Iranian nuclear program. Dr. Stein was previously a doctoral fellow at the Geneva Center for Security
Policy, an associate fellow for the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), and a researcher with the Center
for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM). He also worked as a consultant for the International
Crisis Group in Istanbul and has published articles and reports on Turkeys nuclear capabilities and Turkish
elections.

Dr. Stein holds a BA in politics from the University of San Francisco and an MA in international policy studies
from Monterey Institute of International Studies. Dr. Stein received his PhD in Middle East and Mediterranean
studies at Kings College, London. He is proficient in Turkish and has elementary knowledge of Arabic and
French.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am extremely grateful to all those who supported me in the writing of this report. I would like to particularly
thank Andrea Taylor for her tireless work on earlier versions of this report. Along the way, four anonymous
reviewers were exceptionally generous with their time and expertise. The report was also helped tremendously
by the patient editing of the Atlantic Councils publication team. Any errors or shortcomings are, of course,
mine alone.

24 ATLANTIC COUNCIL
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